Keynote Q&A
Keynote: Alan Sutherland
Please add your questions for our keynote guest, Alan Sutherland in the comments box below.
Please add your questions for our keynote guest, Alan Sutherland in the comments box below.
There is a long history of integrated partnerships between water utilities and the private sector in the UK which are gaining popularity in Australia. Can you describe what drove those models and what benefits you’ve seen achieved?
What has been the biggest barrier to achieving efficiency improvements in the water sector?
Alan, what is the customer view on cross subsidisation/same pricing throughout Scotland?
Has there been a history of cross subsidisation in Scotland – or was this a policy change? If so, how was the change introduced to customers?
Also – do customers focus on water security into the future?
What shift if any have you seen in community sentiment towards the water industry through the CoVID pandemic? Perhaps in recognizing its role as essential service provider, link to health/ sanitation? And how might this play out looking ahead?
To what extent have water corporations in the UK moved into renewable energy? Is it buying renewable energy or producing its own? Has it gone beyond that to move into energy export?
Apart from the ongoing challenge of climate change, how have you addressed other environmental issues associated with water management (e.g. environmental flows, groundwater-dependent ecosystems)?
Hi Alan, given your experience in both, do you see any distinctions as a Regulator in the way a public v private utility might be regulated, and if so why?
Is the supply chain in Scotland resource constrained, in particular skills & labour?
While here in Victoria recreation isn’t a core service we are currently funded to deliver, we are however generally proud of our achievements in making more of our land and assets available for community use and the contribution our waterways and land infrastructure make to Melbourne’s liveability. How is this managed in Scotland to further enable these outcomes for the community? What is the role of Scotland Water, and your role as a regulator in providing broader liveabilty outcomes for the community?